Chapter 4 #2
She finished putting away the rest of her groceries while her mind raced through possibilities and contingencies. The familiar domestic tasks helped ground her, but couldn't completely banish the anxiety that had taken root in her chest.
When her phone finally rang forty-five minutes later, displaying an unfamiliar area code, she hesitated, then answered quickly.
"Ms. Thorton? This is Logan Bishop with Lighthouse Security Investigations Montana."
His deep and steady voice carried a quiet authority that made her breathe easier for the first time since hanging up with Leo.
"Mr. Bishop, thank you so much for calling back so quickly."
"Leo Parker filled me in on your situation," Logan continued, his professional tone reassuring.
"I want you to know that I'm taking this very seriously.
Before we move forward, I need to get a clear picture of what you've been experiencing.
Leo mentioned you've felt like someone's been watching you. Can you walk me through the timeline?"
Willow sank into one of her kitchen chairs, grateful to have someone who could help with her concerns.
Once again, she took him through the past six months of gifts.
Then, she added, "Recently, I would get a feeling of being watched.
I do my morning writing routine on the back porch, and I began sensing that someone was observing me.
At first, I thought I was being paranoid. "
"Trust me, in my line of work, paranoia often keeps people alive. What else have you noticed?"
"There have been some hang-up calls," she admitted, her voice growing steadier as Logan's serious attention validated her fears.
"Not a lot, maybe four or five over the past weeks.
When I answer, there's a few seconds of silence, then they disconnect.
No heavy breathing or anything dramatic, just..
. silence. Like someone checking to see if I'll answer. "
"What time of day do these calls typically come in?"
"Various times. A couple in the evening, one midmorning, one late afternoon. Never a pattern I could identify." She paused, remembering. "The caller ID always says 'unknown caller.'"
Logan's voice sharpened with interest. "That suggests someone with access to spoofing technology or multiple burner phones. What about today specifically?"
"Today was different. More intense." Willow stood and walked to her window, peering through the curtains at the empty landscape.
"When I was at the grocery store in town, that feeling of being watched was overwhelming.
I kept looking around, but I couldn't identify anyone suspicious. Still, I was certain someone was studying me. And then I got home.” Her voice cracked on the last word.
“What happened?”
She relayed the change in the position of the rocking chairs. “There’s no wind today, and they wouldn’t have moved to face each other. It was just like the two chairs were set up for two people to sit and converse.”
“What else? Leo mentioned footprints?”
“Yes,” she said, her voice now shaky as she explained the shoe prints and rose petals underneath the office window.
“Escalating,” Logan muttered. Then with a clearer voice, he asked, "Did you notice any vehicles following you to or from the store?"
"I kept a sharp lookout and spied a vehicle that appeared to be following me. Of course, they could have blended into the traffic and pulled off before getting to my road."
"That's good awareness on your part," Logan said approvingly. "Have you noticed any other unusual activity around your property? Strange vehicles driving by, people walking where they shouldn't be, or anything else out of the ordinary for your area?"
Willow thought carefully. "Any tire tracks at the end of my driveway could have been from a shipping delivery van or the mailman. Or just someone turning around. Believe me, I look carefully but never see anyone there."
"Ms. Thorton, based on what you're telling me, I believe your instincts are correct. Someone could very likely be conducting surveillance on you. The combination of the hang-up calls and the feeling of being watched. But now, with the physical signs you've noticed, this person is escalating."
She felt a mixture of relief that her worries were being validated but then fear at the thought of someone invading her space. "So I'm not losing my mind."
"Definitely not. Now, I would like to inquire about your background. Leo mentioned you're a former actress, but I need more details about your current profile and any potential threats. Do you have any ongoing disputes, or anyone who might have a grudge against you?"
"Nothing recent that I can think of," Willow said slowly. "I left Hollywood a couple of years ago specifically to avoid this kind of attention. I live very quietly here, write novels under a pen name, and only do screenwriting work that keeps me mostly behind the scenes."
"But you're not completely anonymous. Your Oscar win for a screenplay a few years back put you back in the spotlight temporarily.”
"True, but that died down fairly quickly. I do have some persistent fans from my teen actress days, and there's a blogger who seems particularly interested in tracking former child stars, but nothing that's ever felt threatening before."
"I'll want a complete list of anyone who might have reason to focus on you, including professional contacts who know your current location," Logan said.
"My operative will go through that with you tomorrow.
He'll assess your current security and make recommendations for improvements.
We can fast-track that with a vetted security installer in Nebraska. "
"Will he be able to figure out if someone really is watching me, or if I'm just being overly cautious?"
"Trust me, if someone's conducting surveillance on you, Mr. Caspani will find the evidence.
He's a former Army Delta Force—quiet, thorough, and very good at spotting things that don't belong.
" Logan's voice carried absolute confidence.
"He'll also stay close until we get a better security system in place and identify any potential threats. "
"Stay close?" Willow felt a flutter of nervousness about having a stranger in her sanctuary.
"He'll need to be on your property to assess the situation and provide protection if necessary. I know it's an invasion of your privacy, but given what you've described, I don't want to take any chances with your safety."
The fear in her chest outweighed her discomfort with the arrangement.
"Okay. Yes, whatever you think is best. I should let you know that I have a trip to LA in a couple of days. Then I’ll be back here, and next weekend, I have to be in Kansas City for an event.
Both places are known as part of my schedule. ”
"Good to know. We’ll make arrangements for Mr. Caspani to accompany you to both places. And he will be there tomorrow. Until then, keep your doors locked, don't go anywhere alone if you can help it, and if anything feels wrong, call 911."
"I understand."
"Ms. Thorton, I want you to know that we're going to figure this out and keep you safe. You did the right thing reaching out for help."
"Thank you," she said, her voice thick with emotion. "I can't tell you how relieved I am to know help is coming."
"That's what we're here for, ma'am. Mr. Caspani will take good care of you, and we'll get to the bottom of whatever's happening out there."
As she ended the call, Willow felt the tight knot of fear in her chest begin to loosen slightly.
Tomorrow, she wouldn't be facing this alone anymore.
If someone were observing her, she would have professional help in dealing with it.
If no one were watching, then she'd still have an updated security system in place and the peace of mind that came with knowing she'd taken every precaution.
For the first time since that morning's unsettling feeling on her porch, she allowed herself to believe that everything might actually be okay.